Gentle hills and orderly vineyards dominate the landscape in Burgundy, considered by many to be the heart of France. This picturesque region, which is believed to be one of the oldest and noblest wine regions in the world, was rediscovered fifty years ago by Klaus-Dieter Ziltener, who passed away three years ago. He and his wife opened a wine business in order to introduce this noble wine to more people in Switzerland, Germany and Austria.
His dream is continued by his daughter Nicole Ziltener Bollinger, who now manages the wine business Château André Ziltener with 80 employees. "I love the single cultivar wines from Burgundy that give such expression to the terroir, the character of the local soil," says Nicole Ziltener Bollinger, who waxes lyrical about the elegant Pinot Noir red wines and complex Chardonnay white wines from this region.
Stony soil in the wine business
But the wine business is not meant for enraptured bon viveurs, says Ziltener Bollinger, who studied business administration at the University of St. Gallen and pursued her further studies in oenology. This is a very hard business, and competition has increased sharply in recent years. “The large retailers boost their wine sales with enormous marketing budgets, and digitisation is changing consumer behaviour," explains Ziltener Bollinger.
Her defence against these trends: Château André Ziltener focuses on the best quality wines that it distributes exclusively – together with competent advice and support. There are no middlemen. This wine company will exhibit at 30 trade fairs this year alone.
Everything from a single provider
Nicole Ziltener Bollinger joined her parents' business full-time 16 years ago. The company first established contact with Bank CIC four years earlier. Since then, this relationship has grown across two Ziltener generations.
"I never considered changing to another bank," emphasises Nicole. "Whatever my financial concerns, I always contact my client advisor Andreas Dill, who provides me with a one-stop service. He's familiar with both my professional and personal situation, considers my individual needs and presents flexible solutions at attractive conditions." Banking and the wine business have one thing in common: They are both a matter of trust.
50th anniversary – and many reasons to raise a glass
Over the years, Andreas Dill not only had the opportunity to expand his knowledge of wine, but also to set up several projects with Nicole Ziltener Bollinger. "We were able to realise several greenfield real estate projects. These serve as the visible fruit of our collaboration as it were, and that makes us happy," says client advisor Andreas Dill.
Nicole Ziltener Bollinger and Andreas Dill are also excited about the 50th anniversary of Château André Ziltener this year. The wine business will be using this occasion to thank its long-standing customers with an anniversary wine and will be inviting them to enjoy a glass of champagne at trade fairs. The anniversary celebration is scheduled for the summer with a tasting of a selection of red Grand Crus from Burgundy that illustrate the company's history over the past few decades. Chances are good, though, that Nicole Ziltener Bollinger and Bank CIC will be able to celebrate even more anniversaries.